Treatment Options For Turner Syndrome

Blood Pressure Medication

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease. Patients with this syndrome already face an increased risk of cardiovascular events, and it is therefore particularly important for these patients to be screened for and treated for high blood pressure. Studies of patients with this condition have shown high blood pressure commonly begins in childhood. Blood pressure measurements should be taken regularly at pediatric office visits, and the doctor may suggest office measurements be compared with measurements taken at home or through a twenty-four-hour ambulatory monitoring unit. High blood pressure is diagnosed if three readings taken on different days are all high.

Estrogen therapy can increase blood pressure readings, so patients undergoing this treatment should be especially vigilant about monitoring their blood pressure and attending regular screenings. Dietary changes and weight loss may help control blood pressure, but blood pressure medications are needed in many cases. Medications such as diuretics, beta blockers, vasodilators, and ACE inhibitors can all be used to treat high blood pressure. The side effects of these blood pressure medications are generally mild, and the dosage or medication type can be altered by the doctor if needed.

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Hearing Specialist Treatment

Individuals affected by Turner's syndrome experience more ear infections and have a higher risk of hearing loss than the general population. In particular, as many as eighty-eight percent of these patients commonly experience chronic infections of the middle ear (otitis media) during childhood and early adolescence. While these infections can typically be treated with antibiotics, sometimes surgery to insert tubes into the ears for fluid drainage is needed. If left untreated, chronic ear infections can result in hearing loss. In adulthood, up to ninety percent of patients with the condition may experience some degree of sensorineural hearing loss. This type of hearing loss usually gets worse with age and is treated with hearing aids or cochlear implants. Experts recommend patients have their hearing evaluated by a specialist at least once every five years, even if they do not show any symptoms of ear infections or hearing loss. Any ear infections that may develop should be treated aggressively to prevent hearing loss. Available hearing specialist treatment includes custom hearing aids and advanced ear surgery.

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